"On my part, I remain committed to the process of dialogue. It is my firm belief that dialogue and a willingness to look with honesty and clarity at the reality of Tibet can lead us to a viable solution."

Germany and China resume dialogue with Berlin talks

October 13, 2008

Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA)
October 10, 2008

Berlin - Germany and China have resumed dialogue, with junior
ministers leading talks on strategic issues, while consultations on
human rights are set for next month, the German Foreign Ministry said
Friday. The resumption of the regular rounds of talks was announced
in June by Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and his German
counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Beijing after a period of
coolness over the Tibet issue.

Yang said in June that this week's "strategic dialogue" in Berlin on
security and economic issues would also cover climate and
environmental policy, but the statement gave no details Friday of
what was discussed.

Beijing was upset when Chancellor Angela Merkel received the exiled
Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in September 2007. The
German media this year criticized China's crackdown on protesters in
Tibet and Steinmeier urged Beijing to meet the Dalai Lama.

The Steinmeier visit to Beijing and a visit by a Chinese
vice-premier, Zhang Dejiang, to Germany last month ended the chill.

The Foreign Ministry said a German state secretary, Reinhard
Silberberg, and an assistant minister of the Chinese Foreign
Ministry, Wu Hongbo, headed the day of talks Thursday in Berlin.

Steinmeier said in a statement, "We are delighted at the resumption
of the strategic dialogue."

The bilateral human rights dialogue is to resume in Beijing in
November with a visit by a senior German diplomat, Guenter Nooke.